A blog post by No Kidding network co-facilitators, Alison and Rachel.
University of Bath has 18 staff networks and groups. They provide a chance to connect with others in the University community around shared experiences and topics of interest. We also have a well-established Staff Wellbeing Champions (SWC) network, which continues to grow and develop.
Our No Kidding support group has been established for five years. It provides support for staff who are Childless Not by Choice. During this time, the network has grown steadily, welcoming new members year on year. Members hold monthly meetups and we have a Teams space to stay connected.
So what is the impact for members?
"I find it extremely helpful to be able to meet with people who know what childlessness is about. It's like meeting with people who speak the same mother tongue and have an embedded understanding of the nuanced idioms. When you have a group like 'No Kidding' that meet in the workplace, a person doesn't feel so alone."
"The group has given me the confidence to share my experience of childlessness with a few select colleagues whereas before the group, I didn't tell anyone."
The feedback from members consistently highlights that the group helps move from feelings of isolation to feelings of connectedness. This will be the case for so many of our staff networks – but even more so when they provide support and connection around experiences normally surrounded by silence.
World Childless Week
In the wider community, this year marks ten years of World Childless Week. This World Childless Week, we are excited to host a thought-provoking University event exploring the lived experience of involuntary childlessness and its impact across different stages of life, including in the workplace.
On 16 September we welcome Professor Gayle Letherby, Honorary/Visiting Professor, Universities of Plymouth, Greenwich and Bath (Centre for Death and Society) for Childless Not By Choice: reflections across the lifecourse. Open to all staff, it will be particularly valuable for managers, those with lived experience, and anyone looking to better understand and support colleagues affected by childlessness. Please book a place to join the event.
No Kidding network highlights
For the No Kidding network, there have been further highlights along the way, some of them unexpected, including being recognised as an important part of Staff Wellbeing initiatives. We have worked with the Staff Health & Wellbeing Manager and SWC network to raise awareness of why it's important for everyone to be mindful about the childlessness in the workplace. We have hosted events in collaboration with other networks, and university-wide events to explore the topic and open conversations with colleagues. We have also fed into development of policy and guidance for reproductive health.
A No Kidding group member reflects:
"Having official guidance is really helpful - I've referenced this to gently point out to a staff member when they were about to send lots of baby pictures around the department. I feel happier about raising concerns in the workplace as I'm not alone."
A Google search for ‘childlessness in the workplace’ surfaces the University of Bath guide Supporting employees who are childlessness not by choice as the top result. This has led to other public sector employers contacting us to hear how we support childlessness in the workplace. We have established an informal peer network for staff who facilitate similar networks or work to raise awareness in their own workplaces. They often feed back that University of Bath is leading the way and enabling others by sharing good practice.
It's a reminder that something which starts small can grow in unexpected ways and reach and connect far more people than we anticipate or even know about.
Find out more
To learn more about the topic, and how to support colleagues or access support yourself, explore some of the resources shared in our guide. And don't forget to book your place for our upcoming event.
Respond
